There is a move towards minimally invasive therapy in all areas of surgery in an effort to accelerate patient recovery, improve outcomes, and reduce costs. Current efforts in minimally invasive surgery in orthopedics includes, for example, a single incision hip replacement process where the incision is approximately 10 centimeters (cm) in length as opposed to the approximately 30 cm length used historically. Current literature refers to the shorter incision as a “reduced incision” process, with outcomes similar using either length incision; however, tissue trauma is generally greater with the shorter incision. Tissue trauma, especially at and near the incisional (i.e., wound) edge, can be a significant issue in open procedures as well. This tissue trauma can lead to more prominent scarring.
Surgical incise drapes are adhesive-coated organic polymeric drapes that are applied to the patient's skin typically after applying a presurgical preparation. The practitioner makes the incision right through the drape. In this manner, on the skin surface around the incisional site, the drape physically restricts the migration of bacteria remaining after the surgical prep procedure. Surgical incise drapes used during such surgeries have been designed to be very conformable and to have high adherence to the skin so as to allow surgical skin retraction without the drape lifting along the incisional edges. However, the materials used for the film and adhesive have not been designed to protect the skin from the trauma due to high compressive and/or stretching forces during tissue retraction which occurs in nearly all procedures to some degree. These forces, particularly after prolonged retraction through the surgical procedure, cause capillary blood flow disruption which can lead to tissue necrosis, significant bruising, and/or nerve damage with the potential of long term postoperative pain. Furthermore, prolonged retraction under significant force also may stretch the skin along the wound edge making reapposition post surgery difficult. There is a need to reduce such incisional stress and tissue trauma, thereby providing better patient outcomes by potentially faster healing and better cosmesis, a potential reduction in site infections, and possibly reduced post surgery pain.